A study published in last month’s issue of The American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that people who own dogs get more exercise than those who don’t.

With just 14 percent body fat, Zoe Dolan is the picture of health, running two to three miles daily. What keeps her motivated? The eager, happy expression on the face of her workout partner: a pit bull named Basil.

“He gets excited when I go to put on my running shoes in the morning,” Dolan says. “Before we head out, I do yoga at home, and Basil comes and sits next to me. He tries to nudge me – it’s really cute. Having him definitely ensures that I get out of the house as early as possible!”

Exercising with a dog, whether going for a jog or a stroll, strengthens more than muscles; it reinforces the human-animal bond.

“Basil always looks up at me when we’re running, like he’s looking to me for guidance,” Dolan says. Observing these two run in tandem is like watching a professional animal trainer work a dog on the “heel” command, only faster: Basil keeps perfect pace with Dolan, never running ahead or lagging behind.

That connection helps keep a high-energy dog like Basil on his best behavior. As any dog lover knows, a tired pup is a well-behaved pup, and keeping pace with a human partner gives a dog a mental and physical workout. After his on-leash run, Basil gets 20 minutes of off-leash play time in the dog park.

“I like running with him,” Dolan explains. “Otherwise, I’d run alone, and it’s nice to have him with me so we can spend time together.”

Fresh air and sunlight are two more benefits to the K9 exercise routine. “I could work out on a treadmill,” Dolan allows, “but running with Basil gets me outside – so I don’t need to belong to a gym.”